Spillage not cleaned
A liquid spill left in an aisle long enough that a reasonable inspection should have caught it.
A supermarket accident claim is a public liability claim brought when a store fails to keep its premises reasonably safe and a customer is injured as a result.
Supermarkets owe customers a duty of care under the Occupiers' Liability Act 1957. They must operate reasonable inspection and cleaning systems, keep aisles clear of hazards, and ensure shelving and equipment are safe. Where they fail, a spillage left too long, a damaged trolley, stock falling from a high display, and you are injured, compensation may be available.
At Hannah Gold Solicitors we handle supermarket accident claims across England and Wales on a No Win No Fee basis with a 20% success fee. Your claim is led by a senior solicitor from day one.
£21 million recovered · 15 years specialist practice
£21M+
Recovered for clients
15 yrs
Public liability experience
20%
Success fee, not 25%
100%
No Win No Fee
You may have a claim if your injury was caused by supermarket negligence, for example:
Common scenarios
A liquid spill left in an aisle long enough that a reasonable inspection should have caught it.
Cages, roll-boxes and stock left in the shopping aisle during trading hours.
Poorly stacked high shelves or unstable displays collapsing onto a customer.
Lifting tiles, torn matting or damaged threshold strips causing trips.
Struck by a member of staff operating cages, cleaners or motorised equipment.
“The Occupiers' Liability Act 1957 requires reasonable care, a missing warning sign frequently establishes breach.
Compensation is paid by the store's public liability insurer. You do not sue an individual member of staff. The claim is made against the company, and the insurer investigates the accident (reviewing accident reports, CCTV and inspection logs) and pays any settlement direct to you via your solicitor.
Judicial College Guidelines (18th edition) general-damages brackets for injuries commonly sustained in supermarkets:
| Injury | General damages |
|---|---|
| Minor soft tissue injury (recovery within a year) | £1,880 – £5,750 |
| Soft tissue injury (recovery within one to two years) | £5,750 – £10,420 |
| Minor wrist / ankle fracture | £8,030 – £18,150 |
| Serious fracture requiring surgery | Up to £79,080 |
| Hip / pelvis fracture (moderate) | £16,640 – £35,130 |
| Hip / pelvis fracture (more serious) | £35,130 – £51,750 |
| Head injury (less severe to moderate) | £2,920 – £56,890 |
| Back injury (mild strain to moderate) | £3,240 – £51,230 |
| Knee injury (moderate) | £19,610 – £34,600 |
Financial losses are additional and typically include lost earnings, care and assistance, travel to treatment, private treatment and rehabilitation costs. For fuller brackets see our UK compensation payouts guide.
“Refrigerator condensation and produce spillages are the most common hazards, cleaning-schedule records are the priority disclosure request.
Warning signs are important, but their absence rarely defeats a claim, and their presence rarely defeats one either. What matters is whether the store's overall inspection and cleaning system was reasonable and whether it was followed. Cleaning schedules, inspection logs and CCTV are usually decisive. A wet-floor sign put out after you fell is not a defence.
“Obstruction hazards (stock trolleys, stacked boxes) frequently defeat the defendant's 'reasonable system' defence.
“Ankle, wrist and hip fractures dominate supermarket slip claims, an early orthopaedic prognosis anchors valuation.
Free case review. No Win No Fee with a 20% success fee. Speak to a senior solicitor today.
£21 million recovered · Established 2011
No Win No Fee means you pay nothing upfront and nothing at all if your claim does not succeed. If you win, a success fee is deducted from your compensation. On most personal injury claims we charge 20%, lower than the 25% maximum many firms apply; some lower-value Official Injury Claim portal cases are charged at a different rate, which we always explain clearly before you sign.
Speak with a specialist
0300 373 5366